RIP

Bob Saget's friends and family say he was his normal, happy and joking self in the days leading up to his death ... and allegations he was complaining about being sick with long-term COVID before his last show just don't add up.

We spoke with one of Bob's best friends, who was in touch with the comedian almost daily, and tells us Saget never mentioned feeling off or that he was still battling the after-effects of COVID. Not only that, we're told the friend, who saw Bob regularly, said he never exhibited symptoms of being sick either.

Not only that -- the Saget family attorney tells us Bob's wife, Kelly Rizzo, spoke to Bob the day he died -- and he never mentioned being sick or having hearing issues.

Of course, this goes against what the showrunner at the venue where Bob last performed told investigators in an interview after his death. The woman claimed Bob had mentioned he hadn't been feeling well -- battling the after-effects of COVID-19, including hearing issues and a sore throat.

There was also the valet driver at The Ritz where Bob died, who told investigators he was in good spirits, didn't appear to have suffered any head trauma, and kept his balance without issue. A photo the valet took with Bob showed him to be perfectly fine as well.

Bob Saget was not feeling well the night he went into his hotel room and ended up dying -- at least that's what one of the last people to speak with him is claiming.

A showrunner who works at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall -- where Bob's last show took place before he booked it to Orlando that fateful night -- told investigators Bob had disclosed to her and other stage crew that he wasn't well health-wise preshow.

The woman, whose name is Rosalie Cocci, said Bob had told them he was battling long-term COVID, and it had taken a toll on his body.

As far as what he was dealing with specifically ... the woman told cops Bob mentioned his hearing was off and he was constantly asking them to turn everything up.

In addition to hearing trouble, Cocci went on to explain Bob had said he was sick the day before, and his throat was sore ... she added he seemed to be "talking himself up" to get ready for his stand-up performance ... which he ultimately did.

In the end, Cocci says she and the crew were surprised he knocked it out of the park when push came to shove -- despite his earlier complaints, they say he didn't miss a beat and put on a great show, as if nothing was wrong.

If it's true that his hearing was off, that could cause balance issues ... it's unclear what exactly caused Bob's fatal brain bleed ... but a problem with balance could result in a fall or misjudging distance.

Now Bob's family tells TMZ, they don't believe he had long-term COVID, because he had only come down with the virus 2 weeks earlier and he never complained of hearing problems.

As you know, the authorities have said Bob bumped his head somehow while he was in his hotel room later that night -- and ended up dying as a result of a major brain bleed.

Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, is dead after battling cancer.

Sec. Albright's daughter, Anne, says her mother passed away surrounded by family and friends. The statement announcing her passing says, "We have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend,” as well as a “tireless champion of democracy and human rights.”

President Bill Clinton selected Madeleine to be his Sec. of State in 1997. He'd previously named her U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1993.

Albright famously helped guide American foreign policy in the wake of the Soviet Union's fall and the Cold War.

During that key moment in history, Albright championed the expansion of NATO, pushed for U.S. intervention in the Balkans to stop ethnic cleansing and the  championed the reduction of nuclear weapons around the world.

Interestingly, her passing comes just as the U.S. weighs the matter of intervention in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Albright coined the term "assertive multilateralism" to describe the Clinton administration's foreign policy.

She boldly declared the U.S. was an "indispensable nation" when it comes to defending democracies across the globe. She told NBC News in 1998, "I know that the American men and women in uniform are always prepared to sacrifice for freedom, democracy and the American way of life."

Albright had a very personal connection to the horrors of fascism, having been born to a father who was forced to flee his homeland of Czechoslovakia when the Nazis invaded in 1939. Her family emigrated to the U.S. in 1948.

President Barack Obama awarded her the Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.

Albright is survived by her brother and sister, 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren.

She was 84.

Country music icon Hank Williams Jr. is in mourning -- his longtime wife, Mary Jane Thomas, has died ... TMZ has learned.

A family member confirmed Mary Jane passed away Tuesday in Jupiter, Florida, and we're told the early indication is it appears she suffered a complication -- possibly a blood clot -- following a medical procedure.

A spokesperson for the Jupiter, FL PD tells us they got a medical call to the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa around 5PM Tuesday ... Mary Jane was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. At this time, her death does not appear to be suspicious.

Mary Jane, a former model for Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion, has been married to Hank since 1990 -- the couple met in 1985 at one of his concerts in Washington State. Her death is the latest heartbreak for Hank and his family.

He and Mary Jane had 2 children together -- daughter Katie Williams-Dunning and son Samuel Williams. Katie died tragically in a 2020 car accident in Tennessee. Her husband, Tyler Dunning was also in the vehicle, but survived with critical injuries.

TMZ broke the story ... Sam claimed back in February his father and half-sister Holly had him under a conservatorship, which began in August 2020 -- less than 2 months after Katie's death.

While Hank's known for big hits like "All My Rowdy Friends," and is frequently in the spotlight -- most recently for his Country Music Hall of Fame induction last November -- Mary Jane's known to be more private.

She and Hank had separated in 2007, but eventually saved their marriage ... fully reconciling in 2011 when they celebrated their 21st anniversary.

We reached out to a Williams family member who told us they'd like privacy at this time.

Mary Jane is survived by Hank, Sam, and 3 grandchildren.

She was 58.

Bob Saget may have died after hitting his head on the headboard in his Orlando hotel room -- at least that's what authorities believe -- and they have just released photos of the object.

The headboard -- in the Ritz-Carlton hotel room -- is padded, although cops say there's a hard surface underneath ... they believe Bob hit his head on that surface, which caused a fatal brain bleed.

The reason for the theory -- Bob's head was not bleeding externally when they discovered his body. They theorize he hit his head while getting into bed just after 2 AM.

Fact is ... authorities say they may never know precisely what caused the fatal contact. The reason they're sticking to the headboard theory -- the Medical Examiner concluded Bob hit his head on "something hard, covered by something soft."

It looks like Bob used the bathroom before getting into bed. There's a towel in the tub and toiletries in the shower as well as on the counter.

What's interesting ... Bob may have taken a shower, although authorities haven't said that. It leaves open the possibility Bob may have suffered his injury in the bathroom, although it doesn't align with the theory of something hard covered by something soft.

There's also the interview cops did with the hotel valet, who says Bob was in good spirits when he arrived just after 2 AM. The employee said Bob showed no signs of dizziness, slurred speech or other indicators of a head injury ... and there was no damage to his vehicle indicating he'd been in a wreck. Further supporting the theory the accident happened in his room. He also looked fine in a photo taken with the valet.

The war in Ukraine is heartbreaking on so many levels ... millions fleeing their once-tranquil homeland, and images from before the invasion show the brutality of Russian aggression.

Ukraine was a vibrant country before Vladimir Putin brought war to their land, and it's interesting to look back at life for Ukrainians before they saw their cities bombed to ruins.

In a Spring without war, Mariinsky Park would serve as a romantic backdrop for a date ... a popular place for people to gather, and even kiss on a park bench.

Putin's invading Russian forces mean there's no more bike rides through downtown Kyiv ... which means Ukrainians are missing their annual Spring Festival Retro Cruise ride, where women liked to dress in retro outfits and tool around town.

We hear a lot now about the capital city, Kyiv, but Ukraine is so much more ... there's a beautiful town called Vylkove along the Danube Delta near the border with Romania, which is the Ukrainian version of Venice. The town's streets are a bustling network of streams and canals, and folks would get around by boat.

And then, there's Lviv, a popular tourist destination with its cobblestone streets and well preserved architecture.

Lorenzen Wright's family finally got some justice on Monday ... 51-year-old Billy Ray Turner was convicted of murdering the former NBA player, and was sentenced to life in prison.

Wright, the 7th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, was killed in July 2010 in his hometown of Memphis. Lorenzen had gone missing days earlier ... before his decomposing body was discovered in a marshy field.

Prosecutors alleged Wright's ex-wife, Sherra Wright, hired two other people, including Turner, to commit the murder by luring Wright to the field under the guise they were there to meet someone who owed his ex money.

Turner, who pled not guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy, was found guilty by a jury after only 2 hours of deliberation.

The judge sentenced BRT to life in prison for the murder charge. He will again go before a judge sometime in the future where he'll be sentenced for the other two charges.

As for Sherra, she previously plead guilty to facilitation of murder and facilitation to commit first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in July 2019. She will be eligible for parole after only 9 years.

Rejection from a spring break party turned into a mass shooting tragedy in Dallas ... where 10 people are nursing injuries, including an 18-year-old in critical condition.

The shots rang out last Saturday night at The Space, a venue in South Dallas ... where, according to cops, security guards had turned away multiple people who tried to enter the party with firearms.

Joe Morgan, who was working security at the party, told reporters the shooting suspects were pissed because guards tried to take their weapons during a search. He says, “They just got in their car and started shooting."

There was a long line outside the party and when the gunfire erupted, everyone in line began trampling security and running through the gate to take cover.

When first responders arrived, they found multiple gunshot victims, including an 18-year-old man who was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Nine other victims, including a 14-year-old, were hospitalized in stable condition.

The investigation into the shooting death of 'Walking Dead' actor Moses J. Moseley could not resolve whether the fatal shot was intentional or accidental.

According to Moses' death certificate, obtained by TMZ, the cause of death could not be determined.

TMZ broke the story ... Moses' body was found in his car back in January, and cops in Georgia started investigating his death as a possible suicide. His family believed there was something fishy about his demise, theorizing he may have been kidnapped and murdered.

The death certificate states Moses shot himself, but the doc also says the intent behind the fatal gunshot is unknown.

Moses' sister, Teerea Kimbro, tells TMZ ... the family received a letter this week from President Joe Biden, who offered his condolences.

Teerea tells us she's not sure how POTUS heard about Moses' death, but she thinks her late brother may have visited The White House before.

Gabby Petito's parents are fighting to help other families whose loved ones have vanished by working with senators and governors to make a national missing persons database accessible everywhere.

Joe Petito, Gabby's father, tells TMZ ... national media coverage played a big role in his daughter's case, but he knows not everyone has that same benefit. Joe says every missing person deserves the same attention as Gabby, and that's why they're pushing for expanded use of the government program, NamUs.

NamUs is a national information resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed people in the United States. The Department of Justice-funded program provides technology, forensic services and investigative support to resolve missing person and unidentified remains cases.

Currently eleven states must participate in NamUs, but all U.S. states can voluntarily participate.

Two months ago, Gabby's parents broke out a list of U.S. senators, and started calling all of them to muster support for expanding access to NamUs. Joe says they were overwhelmed by the wave of positive responses after getting through just half the list, and he adds ... they got the same reaction when they reached out to governors' offices.

Now, the family is speaking with policy teams for veteran Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ted Cruz and Dianne Feinstein ... just to name a few. So far, everyone seems open to creating legislation that includes NamUs, but Gabby's family won't be satisfied until bills are introduced federally and in every state.

Joe emphasizes this is not meant to be a partisan issue ... but something all Americans should rally around. More than 4 thousand unidentified remains are recovered every year, which hits home for him, as 7 bodies were discovered just during the search for Gabby.

As you'll recall, Gabby went missing on a road trip with her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. After a nationwide search and constant media coverage, Gabby's body was found in Wyoming a week after being reported missing.

NFL reporter John Clayton, who covered the league for decades and was one of the most recognizable reporters on television, has died at the age of 67 years old.

The detail surrounding Clayton's death are not publicly known ... but John's friend and former colleague Chris Mortensen provided some information on social media.

"John Clayton passed away today at a Seattle area hospital. His wife Pat and sister Amy were at his side and communicated earlier he passed peacefully after a brief illness," Chris wrote.

"We loved John. We are mourning his loss. Pat has asked the @Seahawks to release further information."

Clayton began covering professional football in the early 1970s in Pittsburgh ... and ended up rising all the way to ESPN, where he wrote for the website, and appeared on TV and radio.

He first joined the network in 1995.

Aside from all his great on-camera work in Bristol, John also starred in one of the funniest ESPN commercials ever ... dropping the line, "Hey Ma, I'm done with my segment!!"

Clayton, a member of the writer's wing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2007), was incredibly respected by both colleagues and fans.

JC was also inducted into the HOF at his Alma Mater, Duquesne University, in 2001.

John is survived by his wife Patricia.

Young Thug's family is suffering through an unimaginable loss, as the mother of one of his children was shot and killed after a fight at a bowling alley.

Law enforcement sources tell us the Atlanta Police Department responded to Metro Fun Center Thursday night on a report a woman had been shot. We're told when they arrived, they found LaKevia Jackson dead -- having suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Cops say they've learned Jackson was involved in some sort of a dispute inside the venue over a bowling ball which eventually escalated to gunfire.

A local reporter spoke to Jackson's mom who said LaKevia was at the bowling alley to celebrate a friend's birthday ... and that the alleged shooter waited in the parking lot for about 20 minutes for her to leave.

Young Thug and LaKevia have a 14-year-old son, Kyvion, together ... the rapper has 6 children.

As the wrestling world continues to mourn the loss of WWE legend Scott Hall, Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page -- aka "DDP" -- had dinner with his family just days after his death.

DDP posted pictures of him and Cody Hall, Scott's son, on Thursday ... showing the men doing the iconic nWo hand signal ... which Scott made popular during his wrestling career.

"Had an awesome steak dinner last night with @realscotthall family
@cassastrudel @realcodyhall @manowarfan1 we sat around and told stories of the Bad Guy💥 DDP💎," Page captioned in an Instagram post.

Hall and Page's relationship extends well outside of the squared circle. When Hall was in and out of rehab at one point in his life, it was Page who suggested he try "DDP Yoga" -- which combines yoga, dynamic resistance, and calisthenics to improve overall health and well-being.

Hall, also known as "Razor Ramon," attributed DDP's methods with getting him back on track ... and said at the time the connection he shared with DDP as legendary wrestlers allowed him to trust Dallas.

As we reported, Hall was put on life support after suffering complications from a recent hip surgery. Once his condition deteriorated to the point where it wasn't possible for Hall to recover, one of his best friends, Kevin Nash, announced he'd be taken off life support.

The University of the Southwest golf team van was involved in a fatal traffic crash following a competition in Texas ... and 7 passengers -- 6 students and the coach -- were tragically killed, the school announced.

The accident happened Tuesday night in Andrews County, West Texas ... when a passenger van carrying both the men's and women's teams collided head-on with a Ford F-150 truck.

Two students were airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Officials have not announced any additional details surrounding the crash.

Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to KWES-TV there were fatalities in both vehicles, but the total number of deaths hadn't been confirmed at the time of his comments.

University president Quint Thurman released a statement on the tragedy ... saying, "We are still learning the details about the accident, but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students' lives and their coach."

Tyler James, who was in his first year as H.C. of the men's and women's team, passed away.

USW's Athletic Director, Steve Appel, tells TMZ Sports there were nine passengers in the van at the time of the accident.

"The USW campus community is shocked and saddened today as we mourn the loss of members of our university family," Appel said. "Last night, the men’s and women’s golf teams were traveling back to campus from competition in Midland, Texas, when their bus was struck by oncoming traffic."

"While the accident investigation is still underway, reports indicate that seven passengers aboard the bus were killed in the crash. Two of the passengers are in critical condition undergoing medical treatment in Lubbock, Texas."

"USW is coordinating with Texas DPS to assist with the investigation and public information efforts. University administration is communicating with families of the students and coaching staff to provide more information as it becomes available."

The Washington Commanders have cut Deshazor Everett ... three months after his alleged role in a fatal December car crash.

The team announced the roster move on Wednesday -- though it's unclear if his legal case had anything to do with the decision.

As we reported, authorities say Everett was going over 90 mph in a 45 mph zone just before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23.

The accident was so bad, it ultimately killed his passenger, Olivia Peters. In 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, a witness at the scene said the wrecked car was "trapped in the trees."

Following weeks of investigating, authorities hit Everett with a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in February -- and records show he's due in court for a hearing on the matter in June.

Everett had been a key player for the Commanders, he was a team captain who played in 89 games for Washington in seven seasons.

Marilyn Miglin, the "Queen of Makeovers" on Home Shopping Network and whose husband was killed by serial killer Andrew Cunanan has died.

Marilyn's son Duke Miglin tells TMZ ... she passed away in Chicago Monday, surrounded by loved ones. Miglin died from complications from a stroke.

Miglin was a host of the Home Shopping Network for more than 25 years -- enticing 65 million viewers to fork over their credit cards for a slew of beauty products.

She founded a beauty company in 1963 -- Marilyn Miglin Cosmetics -- which became her empire, with 36 fragrances and perfumes. The company was valued at $50 million. She made the list of America's top 500 female business owners.

Miglin was also an activist ... using her later years to help burn survivors by offering beauty services to the facially disfigured, frequently visiting the trauma unit at the University of Illinois Craniofacial Center.

Chicago declared April 15 Marilyn Miglin Day to honor all the good deeds she did for the city. The Raoul Wallenberg Pediatric Day Hospital in Jerusalem named a burn and disfigurement unit after her in June 1998 ... recognizing her work with children.

Lee Miglin, her husband, was the 3rd murder victim of serial killer Andrew Cunanan in 1997 ... the man who went on to murder Gianni Versace. Miglin was found in the garage of their home, face covered in duct tape and wrapped in brown paper. His ribs were broken and his throat had been cut.

Following the killing, investigators noticed Cunanan slept in Lee’s bed, gave himself a shave, and ate from their refrigerator ... ultimately fleeing the house in the family car.

Miglin's story was highlighted in season 2 of "American Crime Story," with Marilyn played by Judith Light.

She leaves behind two adult children. She was 83.